


Iron is what makes the blood red, Iron is what makes my arms bend

by Mikiri_Tohoshima



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Team Fortress 2
Genre: Bloodbending (Avatar), Canon-Typical Violence, Crossover, Eventual Romance, M/M, Seduction to the Dark Side, Slow Burn, slightly OOC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:22:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26251861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mikiri_Tohoshima/pseuds/Mikiri_Tohoshima
Summary: Den is a new guard to the Second Fortress Prison, and his prisoner is a waterbender called Ludwen. Will he stay sane while working with him, or he will understnad they are not so different after all?
Relationships: Engineer/Medic (Team Fortress 2)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 28
Collections: Banned Together Bingo 2020





	1. Chapter 1

There were two prisons in the Earth Kingdom to keep dangerous benders out of the life of innocent bystanders. One was in the swamp, with humidity seeping through their stones, the perfect place to hold fire benders, while the other was in the rocky desert, arid enough to dry the humidity in the air, but not hot enough to make the water benders sweat. 

They weren’t designed to make the prisoners suffer, but in the need of contain threats, you had to make some compromise. 

Den was a new guard of the Second tower, the Second fort. He was a metalbender, like his father before him. 

His boss, Zhan, guided him along training and in the end, they gave him his section to take care for. 

A thick wooden door. 

Zhan explained briefly. 

“The prisoner we are keeping in here is really dangerous. This door must be closed all the time. He is allowed to drink only once every three days, and you can’t in any way go inside his cell alone. Always ask for help. 

“He might try to speak with you, but never believe him, he is a perfect liar and will do anything in his power to make you lower your guard... and if you do... I just don’t want to tell your father how you died.” 

Den gulped a little of saliva, taking a glance to the wooden door. What kind of monster was hiding in there? 

Zhan noticed his nervousness, so he just put a hand on his shoulder. 

“Den, you have to be a really big idiot to allow yourself dying like this. And I know you are the smartest person in this damn place. I don’t know how why you decided to waste in here, this is why I can trust you on taking care of Ludwen. That’s his name.” 

He then walked away from him. 

“We are going to send your replacement in eight hours. We will bring you both food. Be careful.” 

And Den was left alone with the door. The man looked at it, then he jolted when he heard a knock coming from the other side of it. 

“Hallo? Has Zhan vent avay?” 

Den decided to not give in right on the first day, so he just sat down next to the door, putting his hands on of his knees and straightening his back against the stone of the wall. 

He heard knocking a couple more of times, that thin voice calling again for him, but then it just quieted down, making Den taking a sigh in relief. 

He wondered what that waterbender did to ben pointed as that dangerous, but he wasn’t paid to ask questions, even if they just crawled around his brain like fuzzy worms. 

He always loved asking questions and learning new things since he was a little child. He was a skilled metalbender since a really young age, and enjoyed spending time studying and trying his limits. 

Now he was here. He didn’t want to think about the choices he made that brought in front that wooden door, so he just tried to concentrate on his work. 

Sitting and guarding. 

After a few hours a group of 3 people arrived. A lady dressed with the commander insignia and two guards like Den. 

“I am Commander Lin, today is the day we can let Ludwen drink. We chose today so you can learn as well.” 

She went towards the door and knocked twice, letting herself acknowledged. 

“Ludwen, today you can drink.” 

“Oh, zhank you... I vas feeling really dehydrated...” 

The voice that came from behind the door sounded amused. The two guards that came there with commander Lin entered two small corridors Den haven’t noticed, and each one grabbed the end of a chain, starting to pull them with a pulley. 

“Ach... zhat’s painful! Can’t you be a little gentler?” 

Lin scoffed, grabbing the keys she had on her belt, opening the door. 

“Shut up... You know why we are doing this...” 

She turned towards Den, pointing to the water canteen that was on the ground. 

“I know this treatment might feel cruel, but you really can’t underestimate Ludwen powers. He is really dangerous.” 

And she opened the door. 

A man was standing in the middle of the room, his arms stretched by chains. He had long black hair and was wearing some glasses. He was dressed with the uniform gave to the prisoner of the Second Fort, a brown robe. Once he put his eyes on Den, he smiled, crooking his head to take a better view. 

“Oh, hallo, you are the new jailer! Nice to meet you, I am Ludwen!” 

Lin grabbed the water canteen from Den’s hands, opening it. 

“Don’t you dare kick, this time. Just drink, or we are going to keep you hanged for the rest of the day.” 

The waterbender made a grin, shaking his head. 

“But I wasn't kicking the last time, a mosquito tried to bite my leg and I just jerked a little...” 

Ludwen was conversating casually, as if he wasn’t literally stretched like cicadacows pelt on the sun. That position looked really painful, and Den noticed how desperate was the waterbender once Lin opened the canteen and let him drink. 

“Swallow all of it. Don’t you dare vomiting. Small sips. It’s te only water you will get in three days, and you know it.” 

Ludwen waited to finish drinking, before nodding and taking a deep sigh in relief. 

“Zhank you. You are so compassionate and merciful, Commander Lin...” 

The woman closed the canteen, nodding. 

“Yes, I know. See you in three days, Ludwen.” 

She and Den exited the cell and she made a sign to the men holding the chains, making them drop them and closing the doors of the two small corridors, and then Lin turned one more time towards Den. 

“We are done for today. Food will arrive in another few hours. Make yourself comfortable, these days will be long if you don’t find a hobby or something like that. Ludwen will try to talk to you, and I will suggest you to avoid answering. I lost too many good people who let their guard down...” 

She swallowed some saliva, and then nodded. 

“Go back to your position. Make a good work.” 

Den nodded, sitting down once again and sighing. What did he get into? 

A week passed. Every three days Commander Lin came to give water to Ludwen, they had their meals together, and for the rest of the time Den spend them reading some scrolls he decided to bring with him. 

After the first small tries, Ludwen completely abandoned the idea to try to chat with his new jailer. 

He spent his days looking outside the small window he was provided, not even trying to escape. After all, there was nothing for him outside that prison. 

Den wanted to learn more about the prisoner, but he had nobody to ask what Ludwen was supposed to do, why were they keeping him in there all the time? 

He was worried but also intrigued. And after a week, he finally decided to took courage into his hands and knocked a couple of times on the wooden door. 

He waited for an answer, that came after a couple of minutes. 

“Ja?” 

Den jolted a little, but tried to speak. 

“Uh... I was wondering if you needed anything?” 

“You shouldn’t ask me zhis kind of stuff. You might get in trouble...” 

“Yes, I know, but it must be boring staying inside your cell all the time without nothing to do...” 

“I am looking at the sunset. And... at the people passing beneath me...” 

A moment of silence. 

“But can you provide me with zome books? Zhe other jailer only... uh... he vas not really sociable...” 

Den nodded, then remembering that the other couldn’t see him so he answered. 

“Yeah, I could try. Any specific theme you like?” 

“Medicine... I was skilled inn my tribe arts, but I vas alvays interested in other nation’s vay to heal ze body.” 

Den gulped some saliva, and then nodded, again, and cursed, again. 

“yes, yes. I will ask Commander Lin, then.” 

“Zhank you.” 

Den went back to sit down and turned on what he was working on. He brought some scrap metal from home and was bending it for his own amusement and to keep his mind occupied. 

The next day, right after they gave Ludwen his water, Den stopped commander Lin. 

“Can I bring some books to Ludwen?” 

Lin looked at him with a glare between the interested and the irritated. 

“You spoke to him, didn’t you?” 

“Yeah, but... I just asked him if he needed anything.” 

Commander Lin looked towards the door, unimpressed, and then nodded. 

“Be careful they don’t have any sharp edges. He should not break his own skin. You have permission, but, trust me, don’t speak with him anymore.” 

It wasn’t an order, but a merely suggestion. At least, that was hoe Den took it, so the next day, he brought Ludwen the books. He waited for the meal dealers to bring both of them the food, and he passed the book in the same opening the food was deposed. 

Ludwen’s voice from behind the door sounded really happy and grateful. 

“Oh, Zhank you, Zhank you... I don’t know your name...” 

Den leaned on the wooden door, shrugging a little. 

“My name is Den.” 

Ludwen did the same, from the other side of the door, holding the books against his chest. 

“Vell, zhank you, Den.” 

Some more time passed. Ludwen never again tried to spoke to Den, but the guard was still so curious. He didn’t want to inquire, and he knew he wasn’t supposed to, so another day that he was dying by boredom, he knocked again his fingers on the door. 

“Ludwen, are you still there?” 

The voice from the other side sounded pretty annoyed. 

“I don’t zhink I could go anyvhere else, Den. Vhat do you vant?” 

Den blushed by embarrassment, but his question was more important. 

“I was curious., why do you speak like that?” 

“Like vat?” 

“Like that! Your accent... is strange...” 

Den waited. And waited. And waited a little more, until he finally heard a laugh coming. 

“My accent is strange? I am speaking like you do! I... zhis is incrediblle...” 

Ludwen kept laughing for a few more minutes, making Den feeling deeply uncomfortable and even more embarrassed, until finally the waterbender stopped, knocking a little on the door. 

“I vas born on the southern Vatertribe, but I spent all my life traveling and learning new languages. Also, I don’t zhink my parents were from the same area... I alvays spoke vat they spoke and zo... I believe my speaking is not as the same as yours because of zhis.” 

It was a strange explanation, but after all, Den had never heard somebody speaking like Ludwen, so he had to take it as true. 

“So, are you from the Southern WaterTribe?” 

“Ja. But I vas only born in zhere. But zhat’s vhy I am a vaterbender.” 

Ludwen sit down, leaning this back against the door. 

“Are you an earthbender?” 

Den gulped a little, hearing the sounds coming from behind the door, but he sat as well, on his chair. 

“I don’t know if I am supposed to tell you... but not exactly. I am a metalbender.” 

“Vas? You can’t bend metal!” 

“Yes, I can, iron after all comes from the earth, and contains parts of it, so I can concentrate on those and bend it...” 

“You are faking it, zhis is not real” 

“I am not faking; I can do it. All my family could do it, since the discovery by Toph Beifong.” 

“Vell, I do not believe. You should shov me...” 

Den was furious, and really wanted to prove him that he was real, and so he stood up and he was about to open the door, when he understood what was going on. Ludwen was messing with him, and he was dumb enough to almost fall on this trick. 

“I am not going to open the door to show you, you know?” 

“Oh, vell, suits you. I vill never believe metalbenders are a zhing.” 

Den sighed, sitting down again. And decided to remain in silence. Ludwen probably understood the mood so he kept silent as well for the rest of the day. 

They didn’t spoke to each other for another few days. 

Den occasionally took a glance or two at Ludwen on the days when they gave him water, noticing how lean and skinny the waterbender was becoming, wondering if they gave him enough to eat. 

It was hurtful to the eyes seeing him so strained every time, and the silence was almost driving Den insane. 

He needed more answers about the situation of the waterbender. He needed to understand better. His brain hurt everyday he didn’t know how to help his prisoner... 

He already spent two months guarding him, and in those two months he noticed a slight pattern in Ludwen movements inside the cell, given from the sounds he made. 

He noticed that Ludwen always tried to knock on the door at least twice, he touched the chains, or he spent his time reading. 

Den didn’t know what to do with these informations. What he wanted was to try to make his prisoner’s life at least a little less miserable. So, one day, he knocked again on the door, ready to ask that question. 

“Ja?” 

“Why everybody considers you dangerous?” 

Ludwen touched the door, concentrating on the grains of it, surprised by the question, but in the end nodded to himself. 

“As you are a special bender on your own, I am a special bender myself. My kind of bending is misunderstood, and vhoever is like me, is meant to be confined forever. I am not a normal criminal, of zhose you see around, causing vreckage... This entire tower is full to the brim with criminals vaterbenders vho cannot stop themselves in using zheir power to commit heinous activities...” 

Ludwen lowered his voice. Den approached to door, trying to understand what he was saying, until he felt his body completely stop moving. He lost control of his arms and legs, and then he heard Ludwen speaking more clearly. 

“Me, my friend, I am a Bloodbender.”


	2. Chapter 2

Bloodbending... Ludwen was a blood bender... this is why he was trapped all the time, and nobody could see him... how come he managed to control him then? He wanted to ask, ask, his head one more time full of questions like it always had been, but now, there was not time to ask questions. 

The force locking Den stopped after a few seconds, and the jailer ran on the other side of the hallway, scared and trying to understand what just happened. 

“What did you do to me?” 

He yelled, full of fear and distress, his eyes already leaking some tears. 

Ludwen raised his voice, in such manner Den could understand him through the door. 

“I used the vater inside your body to control you... I am too veak, zo I can’t take hold for a long time...” 

Den just slipped on the ground, leaning against the wall and putting his head between his hands, without hearing the rest of the explanation. 

Losing control like that filled him with perplexity... That power was so dangerous indeed, and Den knew about the laws that were impeding people to learn bloodbending. 

The forbidden art of the Southern Watertribe. 

He stayed on the ground for the rest of his shift, trying to make sense on what just happened, and just stand up in the moment his substitute arrived. Then Den went back home, a little house that was near the fortress, and sit down on his table, trying to understand. 

Bloodbending. There were basically no informations about it, because it was a practice so terrible that had been banned. And yet, this guy could do it. This person was skilled enough, also, to do it in the lack of a full moon and without seeing him. 

Was this the reason why they were keeping him dehydrated? 

Den went to bed with his head spinning from the questions, and his nightmares were full of puppeteers and the grin of Ludwen while he was extracting the blood from his body. 

The next day he went to work, he knocked a couple of times on the door, but for the rest of the time he spent it guarding, as usual. 

He wasn’t ready to talk to Ludwen about what happened, but when they came to bring them both food, the guards noticed Ludwen was still asleep. 

“This is strange, he shouldn’t be so tired, he doesn't do anything all day...” 

Commented one of the food bringers while they went away. 

Den felt a little guilty for this... was he the reason Ludwen was tired, now? 

Another couple of days passed, until the day when commander Lin and her men came to bring Ludwen water. 

She knocked on the door, twice, with no response. 

“What’s going on?” 

She asked Den, and the guard could only shrug. He didn’t want to put Ludwen in trouble, after all. 

Lin gestured to her men to grab the chains and pull them, and once she thought it was secure, she opened the door. 

Ludwen was there, his head hanging on his chest, eyes closed, and looked sound asleep. Lin walked towards him, grabbing his chin gently, and noticing he was passed out. 

“this is not good.” 

She tried to wake him up, and then, after a couple of minutes, Ludwen opened his blue eyes, looking at them. 

“Oh... Is it time to drink already?” 

“Ludwen, what is going on?” 

Lin asked, worried but also angry. 

“I just tried a little bending on my own... but I guess I have not enough vater in my body...” 

Lin closed a fist, and Den was almost sure she was going to hit him, but the commander just let the waterbender drink. 

“Is this a way to ask for more water?” 

Ludwen smiled at her, gulping down. 

“Maybe?” 

Lin shook her head, closing the water canteen and taking a step aside. 

“We came here with a word from the Avatar. If you will help us we might remove your bending and you will be free to go.” 

Ludwen shook his head, opening and closing his fingers, and Lin noticed how the water canteen started to tremble in her hands. 

“Nein. I vill never help ze Avatar. And if she vill try to remove my bender, I vill kill her bare hands.” 

Lin nodded, turning to exit the cell. 

“Suits yourself.” 

She answered, closing the door and making her men lose the chains. She then turned one more time towards Den. 

“You need to warn your commander if everything happens to him. You can't keep for yourself any new, any word. Do you know why he was passed out?” 

Den lied. 

“No... I have no idea, and I can’t really see him and check on him...” 

Lin brought a hand to her forehead, nodding. 

“Yeah, yeah... I know... but you have a responsibility in here. And he can’t bend if he is not hydrated enough, you understand this? If he starts to try to bend... like... his sweat, or tears, or even hurt himself and literally extract his own blood... he is going to be a really big problem for us.” 

Commander Lin then fixed her clothing. 

“You have been warned, Den. Take care of your prisoner. You can enter the cell, if you really need it, but as we told you, you are not supposed to do it alone.” 

And after this explanation, she and her guards left. 

After she disappeared along the hallway, Den immediately knocked on the door, trying to get an answer from Ludwen. 

“You had your drink, come on, come over here...” 

Ludwen dragged himself slowly towards the door, sitting down and leaning on the wood. 

“Vat. Vat do you vant?” 

“Why are you a bloodbender? And why the Avatar needs you?” 

Ludwen made a deep sigh, clenching and opening his fingers, but he didn’t know where den was so he couldn’t do anything. 

“I just want to help you...” 

Den continued, making Ludwen laugh. 

“Even after I tried to use my bending on you? Are you crazy?” 

Den sat down neat the door, shaking his head but then speaking up. 

“For all my life I needed answers to my questions. For all my life I wanted to learn things. And you have something I really don’t know, and I want to learn about.” 

“Earthbenders can’t learn about bloodbending...” 

“I know. But I still want to hear your story. They said they want to take your bending away...” 

“Ze Avatar doesn't’ know what she is talking about. The ignorance crawling in zis world is … disgusting. People lives their own life without knowing they could do much better zen building cars or... vorking in places vhere zey feel miserable all zheir life.” 

Ludwen took a deep sigh, touching the chains holding him. 

“Do you really vant to learn about Bloodbending?” 

Den touched the wood of the door. 

“I want to know why is it so terrible that it is forbidden.” 

And he lowered his voice. 

“And I want to help you. I don’t know how would I feel if somebody threatened to take my bending away” 

Ludwen let out a small laugh, one more time, trying to sit more comfortably. 

“Zhen, my friend, prepare. My story iz not for the faint of hearts.” 

Ludwen was born in the Southern watertribe and he could waterbend since when he was a kid. There were a few people in his village that could use the forbidden art, but they always kept it for themselves, using it to hunt better, or just to protect themselves. 

Ludwen tried to make the elders teaching him so many times, until he decided to try on his own. 

He escaped during the nights to train, until he became a master blood bender at the age of thirteen. 

He never told his parents about it, and one dayl they decided to leave the Tribe and to go in the city, to find a better job, a better life. 

None of his parents could bend, but his mother was still a skilled healer and she wanted to learn in a university how to becoming a doctor, so Ludwen decided to study with her. 

The expenses for the instruction were heavy, and Ludwen father was working two jobs to let his son and wife to learn, but then Ludwen mother decided she couldn’t keep going like this and let only their son to learn. 

This was impressed into Ludwen mind, how education wasn’t available to everybody and only who had a lot of money could access to it. 

He aced all his studies, always hiding his ability, and decided to travel through the world, to help people and learn more about it. 

When he came back, at twenty-six, he discovered both his parents died because his dad got hurt during one of his jobs and his mother contracted an illness and they were both too poor to access to the medicines they needed. 

Ludwen became furious. How he could live in a world where money was the only solution? Where the Avatar was supposed to help poor people, instead just dominated with a iron fist? 

He joined a terrorist group to try to fix the problem, but when they were discovered, Ludwen almost killed the Avatar, and was brought in the prison. 

What the Avatar wanted from him was to teach her the art, and then to remove his bending, in a way to not having that art lost but that it could hurt no more. But Ludwen refused every time. 

His bending was important to him, and he didn’t want to lose it, it was his last legacy with his family in the Southern Watertribe. 

And he preferred stay in that jail forever, instead of losing it. 

“And how many years have you spent in here?” 

“Ten.” 

Den cursed behind his breath. Ten years he was in jail, because of honor? Because of a mistake? Well, for sure Ludwen used bloodbending, but being kept in there by the Avatar because she wanted to learn the art... 

“Teach me.” 

He asked then. 

“You are an earthbender...” 

“I know. But I can find a way. I want you to teach me. Speak me about the art.I can make it work.” 

“But... vhy?” 

“Because I want to find a way to make you get out of here.”


	3. Chapter 3

The second fortress was a building composed in two large towers linked between each other with few corridors. The stairs were on the towers, and to descend you had to go back and forth between the towers and hallways, in this way making the scape of prisoner more difficult, unless some prisoner just wanted to jump out a window. 

There weren’t any key for the cells, you could only open a cell if you were a metalbender, molding the key as you please. 

But the door lock could only reach to a specific metal, so this way not any metalbender could make a key. 

Den wasn’t in possession of the metal needed to mold the key to open the cell, this was for protection. 

The only person who had access to Ludwen door was Commander Lin, she was the only one who had the metal she needed to open the door. 

So, if Den wanted to communicate with his prisoner, he had to found some other ways. 

The door was made in wood, and the only metal part was the door lock, not even the seams of the door, and Den already tried to mentalbend the door lock, but it was difficult to extract from the door, that was full of gears to never allow an escape try. 

Den spent long hours before sleeping thinking on how he could communicate with Ludwen, given that the waterbender didn’t want to bloodbending him into submission the moment they pose their eyes on each other. 

But in some way or another, Den believed in Ludwen. 

They spent long hours chatting to each other, telling each other stories about their own life before falling in there. 

For somebody that had spent ten years in prison, Ludwen was still full of life. 

And Den couldn’t think how terrible would have been, living for ten years where you couldn’t drink the water you wanted or eat the food you liked... 

Only seeing other humans in those terrible moments, tied up like a dangerous animal. 

Den was starting to grow some feeling for the waterbender. More pity, or mercy, probably, but also, hearing his voice every day, hearing his strange accent he got accustomed to, and his funny or scary stories... 

Ludwen probably was manipulating him, like he did when he faked not knowing about metalbenders, but Den didn't care really much. 

He just felt a really profound justice sentiment, and in his opinion, even if Ludwen was in a terrorist group, he didn’t deserve that kind of life. 

Most members of terrorists group were released anyway, after some help and training. 

What the Avatar was doing to Ludwen was only cruel. 

Keeping him in a jail only for wanting to use is special bending... 

Den just couldn’t bear it. He really wanted to do something, and he wanted to also learn that practice. 

Ludwen tried to speak to him through the practice, but he used a lot of terms only known to waterbenders. 

“Zo... you have to feel the vater inside your opponent. Ve are made of vater, zo, all you have to do is control the vater inside the person...” 

“But I can't control water...” 

Complained Den, with a bucket of water in front of him. 

“Ja.. Ja, I know, but I can’t explain it to you, I can bend vater... not rocks...” 

Den kept looking at his bucket, trying to bend the water inside, but it couldn’t even make it move alittle. Frustrated, he took out his little plaything, his mass of metal he liked to bend, and started to work on it, making it as thin as possible. 

He was so concentrated that the sunned voice of Ludwen made him drop the piece. 

“What?” 

“I vas asking you if you are sure about vanting to learn Bloodbending... ve could also only use it during full moon...” 

“But you don’t use it during full moon...” 

Ludwen made a small laugh, shaking his head. 

“Nein... I can use it vithout...” 

Den made a scoff, leaning to get back his plaything, and while doing so, he cut himself by mistake, puncturing the tip of his finger. 

“Ouch...” 

He mumbled, putting the finger in his mouth... and tasting the blood. 

The blood tasted like iron... why...” 

He looked at his finger, a small drop growing on his skin, so he tried to think. 

“You taste like iron... is there some iron in it? Are we made of water and iron?” 

The drop started to move on his fingertip, making Den heart throbbed a little. 

“Ludwen... I think i got it...” 

“Vat???” 

“The bending! I... I think I can do it as well!” 

“How is zhat possible? You are not a vaterbender!” 

“Yeah... but i am a metalbender!” 

Den closed his fingers around that blood drop, opening and closing them, and making it enlarge and diminish its size. 

That was mesmerizing. 

He put his finger into his mouth again, smiling to himself, and feeling really proud. 

Probably he was going to be the only metalbender who could bloodbend... And since he could do it now, he had a plan to make. 

Den spent six months training in bloodbending. 

He trained in secret, with elephantmouses, cicadacows, whatever he could find that had blood in it. 

At first it was difficult, but when he started to feel the power of controlling something... he knew he was almost ready. 

He had a plan. 

One of the days when they brought water to Ludwen, he would’ve used his bloodbending, and help Ludwen escape. And then... probably he would’ve lived as a reject, but at least he did something right, in his brain. 

Avatar Korra was 67 years old and she was the most powerful avatar in the word, or in the history, even. 

She had to work so much to become the right avatar when she was young that she spent the rest of her life fighting and being in love with her wife, Asami. 

Avatar Korra was alone that day when she decided to visit the prison to talk with her “favourite” prisoner in there. 

Ludwen, probably the last bloodbender in the world. 

He spent ten years avoiding her, and telling her that he was never going to teach her bloodbending, so she had to take the last decision. 

Give him an ultimatum. 

Den was casually chatting with Ludwen when he heard about the notice that the Avatar was in there. 

Today was one of the days Ludwen was supposed to drink water. 

Commander Lin, her men and the Avatar made their appearance in a small procession, and Korra just greeted Den with a small nod. 

Den looked at them worried. 

Today was the day of the escape plan... but with the Avatar there... 

Korra approached the door, and when she saw Lin’s men getting a hold of the chains, she just shook her head. 

“No need, I am capable to handle him by myself.” 

So Lin opened the door. 

Den never saw Ludwen not hanged, and he looked pretty miserable, sitting on the ground with one of his books and the loose chains hanging from his wrists. 

Ludwen jumped on his feet immediately, taking a position of fight, while Korra shook her head, using the chains to pull him sit. 

“I am not here to fight, Ludwen. I am here to ask you for the last time. Teach me the bloodbending arts, and you will be free.” 

Ludwen shook his head. 

“You are a crazy old woman. I vill never teach you, because it’s not fair that you will stay free using the bloodbendig, while me and my kind have to rot in prison.” 

“Your kind is free as well...” 

“Nein. My kind is free because they rejected being benders. This art iz dying, and you...” 

Korra’s eyes became white, and Ludwen shuttled up, scared. 

“You give me no option, then, Ludwen... your art will die with you.” 

Ludwen tried to struggle his bonds, while Korra approached, ready to block his chi and remove his bonding... when she felt something hitting her back. 

Korra turned, seeing Commander Lin and the two guards in strange positions... as if... 

“How is it possible? There are no bloodbenders in this tower except for you!” 

Den showed himself, trembling like a leaf, but still with a strong hold onto those three people. 

“I think you didn’t count that well, ma’am...” 

Korra tried to understand, maybe he was just using the metal armor the people were wearing… but those movements... She started to defend herself from the attacks of the puppets Den was moving agaisnt her, until he finally managed to enter the cell and with a hand, and losing control on commander Lin, he managed to remove Ludwen binds. 

“We are leaving now... prepare to run...” 

“I can’t run...” 

“We can do it... use the water!” 

Ludwen noticed the water canteen on the ground, so he managed to get a hold on it. Finally, he could bend water again, so together, Den with his mental and bloodbending, and Ludwen with his waterbending, they managed to pass through Korra one more time. 

She didn’t want to hurt the two men, or their puppets, but also, she couldn't just use air powers or earth. She was completely helpless. 

She started to call for other guards, then, and they arrived, but using their hostages, Den and Ludwen managed to pass through them as well. 

It was difficult. They were on the highest floor of the tower. They had to pass through a lot of people... but Den decided what was better for them. 

He pointed to a window, opened it with earthbending techniques, leaving their hostages, grabbing Ludwen and he launched himself out of the window. 

With his earthbending he managed also to have a few steps helping them getting down along the tower, and in the end, they dropped on the sand of the desert. 

Ludwen took deep breaths, incapacitated that he was alive, and he was outside the prison. 

“How... how... vhat are ve going to do now?” 

Den took his hand, helping him stand. 

“I don’t know, now, but i know we still have to run.” 

He pointed at the guards and the Avatar basically flying towards them. 

They ran as fast as they could. 

They hid in the forest surroundings the desert, and finally, could breathe again. 

They leaned against a tree, and only now, Den could look at Ludwen body, his scars and his wrists so thin from having to wear the chains for so long. 

He carefully took them in his hands, while Ludwen looked at him, worried. 

“I... I am so glad I managed to save you before...” 

Ludwen put a hand on his shoulder, making him lift his eyes. 

“It had been ten years since I saw the trees. Since I saw heard the birds sang and felt the grass under my feet. I... I vill never zhank you enough for this.” 

Den smiled at him, and Ludwen leaned, putting a kiss on his lips. 

They stayed like this, forehead pressed onto each other’s, breathing slowly. And after a few moments, Den stood up one more time. 

“We... we have to go. The avatar probably is on our tail again.” 

Ludwen imitated him, not really stable on his legs, and so holding on him. 

“Vhere, to?” 

“I don’t know. Probably a place where we can be ourselves... and we can learn... and...” 

“And ve vill not need money to being alive.” 

Den nodded, so the pair started to walk in the forest, looking for a way to exit. Looking for a future. 

Epilogue. 

Korra’s party search looked for them for exact amount of one hour, before she called them off. 

“Why, milady, they are both Bloodbenders, they are dangerous...” 

Korra nodded, pouring herself some tea. 

“Yes, but if by the power of love a metalbender could learn bloodbending... if the deep desire to help made this miracle... I believe we can let them some slack. I... I think I had been in the wrong.” 

She then looked at the prison. 

“After all, they didn’t hurt anybody... They just wanted to save each other...” 

“so... What are we going to do?” 

Korra sighed, drinking the tea after smelling it. 

“If they will ever make themselves found again, we will just need to follow the law... but if they are smart as they look... We are not gonna hear about them for a long time.” 

As the thought about another person leaving this Earth hand with the love of her life.


End file.
